News · AEDPAC official position on the state of the law

29/11/2022

During these last months, AEDPAC has worked in a discreet but firm manner on all possible fronts to minimize the effects that could cause our sector in the hypothetical case of approval of the Animal Rights and Protection Bill in the future.

After multiple contacts in various forums, we have managed to create a constructive climate and mutual trust with the Directorate General of Animal Rights, which has led to the fact that today we can have a direct line with the team of said Directorate General and that in some cases, it has been done and continues to be done almost weekly.

In the same way, we have held meetings with other associations and with all the major political parties, specifically with those deputies and their corresponding working groups designated in each case to analyze said law and promote the allegations that they consider necessary as a result of the conversations with entities and national associations such as AEDPAC.

Thanks to the work carried out during these months, today we can affirm that the change made by redacting from the original law to the last draft, the text has experienced considerable changes that are favorable to the interests of our sector and that will have a very positive impact on the professional and business activity of distributors, manufacturers, veterinary sector and very especially in the retail trade. During these last months, AEDPAC has worked in a discreet but firm manner on all possible fronts to minimize the effects that could cause our sector in the hypothetical case of approval of the Animal Rights and Protection Bill in the future.

After multiple contacts in various forums, we have managed to create a constructive climate and mutual trust with the Directorate General of Animal Rights, which has led to the fact that today we can have a direct line with the team of said Directorate General and that in some cases, it has been done and continues to be done almost weekly.

In the same way, we have held meetings with other associations and with all the major political parties, specifically with those deputies and their corresponding working groups designated in each case to analyze said law and promote the allegations that they consider necessary as a result of the conversations with entities and national associations such as AEDPAC.

Thanks to the work carried out during these months, today we can affirm that the change made by redacting from the original law to the last draft, the text has experienced considerable changes that are favorable to the interests of our sector and that will have a very positive impact on the professional and business activity of distributors, manufacturers, veterinary sector and very especially in the retail trade.

Even so, we hope in the next few weeks to be able to correct some aspects that still affect us seriously, although we categorically deny the news that many media outlets have reported that all animals (hamsters, rabbits, parakeets, etc.) will be prohibited. This is false. What may be prohibited is the sale of all protected and wild animals, although we will fight with all our energies to avoid it.

From a technical and effective processing point of view, the current situation is as follows:

The Bill has been submitted to the Congress of Deputies for approval. After the deadline, the political parties have presented more than 600 amendments to the original project.

The next step will be the debate, one by one, of all the amendments presented by the deputies for their vote and thus arrive at a consensual transactional text that will be put to a vote in Congress and the Senate. We don't know how long this may take, but in any case it will be months. For our part, we remain in permanent contact with the different political groups so that they vote on the amendments that are favorable to us.

Currently, the project, as it is presented to the congress and pending amendments, affects us mainly in the following points:

1. Positive Listing,
(List of the only animals that can be sold, kept and raised) At the moment, the draft states that all animals caught in the wild or that have some degree of protection, be it CITES, national or intra-community, will not be able to be on the list and therefore will be prohibited. Ornamental pieces are excluded from the Positive List indefinitely, so they will not be affected. We are supporting first the amendments that eliminate the Positive List and, as a lesser evil, the Podemos amendment that leaves the Positive List only for mammals and eliminates that of protected and wild animals.

2. Prohibition of selling dogs, cats and ferrets in retail stores,
The draft includes this prohibition so that only breeders will be able to market these animals. We are supporting the amendments that ask to remove this prohibition or as a lesser evil they can be sold by catalog. Frankly, this is the point that will be more difficult to achieve.

3. Separation of animals and inert products in different rooms in the retail trade,
The draft states that said separation must exist, which will considerably harm retailers. AEDPAC presented allegations in this regard and Podemos has included it in an amendment that says that a mobile tape or separation that prevents the public from touching the animals will be sufficient. What they don't want is for people who go to buy products or food to touch or disturb the animals.

There are some minor effects that are not so important and that by extension we do not deal with in this release.

In any case, from the Live Animal Commission of AEDPAC (CAAVV), we are at your disposal for any additional clarification in this regard.

If you wish to share any questions or make any type of contribution regarding contacts or information of interest, you can contact us by emailing hola@aedpac.com or by calling 93 317 10 40.